On Bamboo

BAMBOO

- Is part of the grass family

- The fastest-growing woody plant on Earth

- Unlike trees, all bamboo have the potential to grow to full height and girth in a single growing season of 3–4 months

- Bamboos seldom and unpredictably flower, and the frequency of flowering varies greatly from species to species. In fact, many bamboos only flower at intervals as long as 60 or 120 years.

- Once flowering takes place, a plant will decline and often die entirely.

- Bamboo's long life makes it a Chinese symbol of longevity, while in India it is a symbol of friendship. The rarity of its blossoming has led to the flowers' being regarded as a sign of impending famine.

- In Japan, a bamboo forest sometimes surrounds a Shinto shrine as part of a sacred barrier against evil.

- The pine tree, the bamboo, and the plum blossom (song zhú méi 松竹梅) are also admired for their perseverance under harsh conditions, and are together known as the "Three Friends in Winter" (岁寒三友). The "Three Friends" is traditionally used as a system of ranking in Japan, for example in sushi sets or accommodations at a traditional Ryokan (inn). Pine (matsu 松) is of the first rank, bamboo (také 竹) is of second rank, and plum (ume 梅) is of the third.

- In Chinese culture, the bamboo, plum blossom, orchid, and chrysanthemum (often known as méi lán zhú jú 梅兰竹菊) are collectively referred to as the Four Noble Ones. These four plants also represent the four seasons.

USES of Bamboo

- Animal feed (i.e. Panda)

- Commercial Timber: Timber is harvested from cultivated and wild stands and some of the larger bamboos, particularly species in the genus Phyllostachys, are known as "timber bamboos". Bamboo timber (image)

- Construction: In its natural form, bamboo as a construction material is traditionally associated with the cultures of East Asia and the South Pacific, to some extent in Central and South America.

In China, bamboo was used to hold up simple suspension bridges, either by making cables of split bamboo or twisting whole culms of sufficiently pliable bamboo together.

- Ornament: collectors desiring to grow specific bamboo typically obtain their plants as divisions of already-growing plants, rather than waiting for seeds to be produced. Furnitures are also made of bamboos and sprayed or painted with shellec to give it a shine

- Culinary: The shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of bamboo are edible. They are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths, and are available in supermarkets in various sliced forms, both fresh and canned version. 

Preparation of lemang - cooked over coal fire

Lemang

- Medicine: Bamboo is used in Chinese medicine for treating infections and healing

- Textiles: Bamboo fabric is known for its softness and boasts strong absorbency and anti-microbial properties, though the chemical process in bamboo rayon destroys any anti-microbial quality.
In addition, the fiber of bamboo has been used to make paper in China since early times. A high quality hand-made paper is still produced in small quantities. Coarse bamboo paper is still used to make spirit money in many Chinese communities.

- Musical instruments:

Bamboo's natural hollow form makes it an obvious choice for many instruments, particularly wind and percussion. There are numerous types of bamboo flute made all over the world, such as the dizi, xiao, shakuhachi, palendag, jinghu, angklung. In India it is a very popular and highly respected musical instrument, available even to the poorest and the choice of many highly venerated maestros of classical music.

Transportation

Several manufacturers offer bamboo bicycles & can be knitted together to form a "rakit" - In asian regions, drifted on rivers

Well I learnt something new from this research. Hope you did too! Thanks for reading.

Note: ALL IMAGES IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES.